Asia is the largest continent on the planet and offers endless variety for the traveler. The Far East in particular is a region of incredible civilisations, unique landscapes and the lure of the exotic. Yet many Canadians hesitate to travel there, seeing it as too difficult to travel to and too far away for anything other than a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Air Canada has the answer. The airline offers access to many Asian destinations, and in particular there are options to fly non-stop to many of the Far East’s most dazzling destinations.

Select Air Canada flights feature 3 classes of service: International Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class. Expect complimentary onboard meals, blankets, alcohol and up to 600 hours of inflight entertainment. Eligible customers also have access to Maple Leaf Lounges in Montreal and Toronto.

All Asia flights out of Vancouver offer flights on the 787 Dreamliner (with the exception of Hong Kong) and the Premium Economy product offers travelers two free checked bags.

Air Canada airport staff and flight attendants offer service in many Asian languages, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and Japanese. The inflight entertainment programming can also be viewed in Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and Japanese.

The airline also has a dedicated Asia desk that is accessible every day between 09.00 and 21.00 (EST) at 1-888-918-8888. Agents are available to serve you in Mandarin (option 1), Cantonese (option 2), Japanese (option 3) and Korean (option 4).

Check www.aircanada.com for flight schedules, frequency and seasonality. Seamless connections to Asian destinations beyond their Asia gateways are also quick and easy to arrange with Air Canada’s Star Alliance partners, such as Air China, ANA and Asiana Airlines.

Osaka in Japan is offered by Air Canada rouge via Vancouver – so it is particularly price competitive and the service is tailored for the leisure traveler. The onboard service is designed to make every flight a great start and end to a wonderful vacation. The rouge crew is trained in Customer Service Excellence at the Disney Institute to create memorable moments for customers and a relaxed atmosphere on board.

Premium rouge customers enjoy a selection of premium meals served on fine porcelain dishes. All alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are complimentary. Customers in rouge and rouge Plus enjoy a complimentary hot meal, non-alcoholic beverages and tasty snacks when travelling to and from Osaka. And Air Canada is one of the first airlines in North America to have wireless streaming service for inflight entertainment on your Apple or Android devices.

Air Canada to Asia

Air Canada offers the following non-stop routes from Canada:

Hong Kong from Toronto and Vancouver

Narita, Japan from Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary. The Narita service allows convenient connections to major points in Tokyo as well as Southeast Asia

Osaka, Japan from Vancouver – operated by Air Canada rouge and the only non-stop flight between Canada and Osaka which complements Air Canada’s other services to Japan

Beijing, China from Toronto and Vancouver

Shanghai, China from Toronto and Vancouver

Haneda, Japan from Toronto. These flights provide great access to Yokohama and central Tokyo

Seoul, Korea from Toronto

Wherever you fly with Air Canada in Asia, Air Canada Vacations is there to help you make the very best of your destination. They can arrange your hotel accommodation, car rental and a wide choice of shorter excursions, city tours and activities - as well as tours that allow you to explore more widely.

Your Travel Agent can book your itinerary with Air Canada Vacations, and you can choose your flights independently or combine Air Canada flights with your Air Canada Vacations tours. The good news is that you will earn Aeroplan Miles for travel on Air Canada operated flights with every flight-inclusive package booked with Air Canada Vacations.

Here is just one example from the many options available in Asia with Air Canada Vacations this summer:

This tour shows you how modern China is rooted in its historic past. You will see behind the glitz of the modern country to experience some of the most ancient cities in all of China. And you will travel in some of the most amazing landscapes imaginable – all in the competent hands of the Air Canada Vacations team.

Your package includes:

Transpacific flights aboard Air Canada and flights in China

High-speed train from Taiyuan to Zhengzhou, and from Luoyang to Beijing

9 nights of First-Class accommodation

All airport transfers at destination

City tours of Datong, Pingyao, Kaifeng and Luoyang

Meals as per itinerary

Itinerary

Day 1 Departure from Canada
Board your Air Canada flight to Beijing.

Day 2 Beijing
Upon arrival in Beijing, transfer to the hotel to enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. You will meet your guide who will provide you travel tips and a short briefing on your tour.
Beijing Capital Hotel (1 night)

Day 3 Beijing – Datong (Breakfast & Lunch)
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Datong. Visit the famous Yungang Grottoes, a treasure house of rare and splendid Chinese sculptures. Located at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain, they contain over 50,000 Buddhist statues and stretch for about 1 km east to west. After the visit to the Grottoes, transfer back to the city area, visit the biggest dragon screen in China – Nine Dragon Screen and Huayan Temple.
Datong Jindi Howard Johnson Hotel (1 night)

Day 4 Datong – Pingyao (Breakfast & Lunch)
Travel to Pingyao with a stop at the famous Hanging temple, also known as Hanging Monastery or Xuankong Temple. Built more than 1,500 years ago, this temple is notable not only for its location on a sheer precipice but also because it is the only existing temple with the combination of three Chinese traditional religions: Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. The monastery is located in the small canyon basin, and the body of the building hangs from the middle of the cliff under the prominent summit, protecting the temple from rain erosion and sunlight. Afterwards, visit the Wooden Pagoda at Yingxian County near Hanging Temple. Continue to Pingyao.
Pingyao Yunjincheng Folk Hotel (2 nights)

Day 5 Pingyao (Breakfast & Lunch)
Enjoy a tour of the ancient town of Pingyao. The ancient streets, yards and cultures have been preserved well. You will visit the city wall and the first bank – Rishengcang during your stay in Pingyao.

Day 6 Pingyao – Taiyuan (Breakfast & Lunch)
Travel to Taiyuan. Visit the Chang’s family Mansion en route. It covers an area of 1500 rooms and 40 buildings. Its buildings, courtyard, decorations of each houses are so well kept that you can see the living status of the rich families in 16th century. Transfer to Taiyuan, the capital city of Shan’xi Province.
Taiyuan Trader’s House (1 night)

Day 7 Taiyun – Zhengzhou – Kaifeng (Breakfast)
Travel by high speed train from Taiyuan to Zhengzhou city. After arrival, transfer from Zhengzhou to Kaifeng, the oldest capital of 8 dynasties in China. In the afternoon, visit the Guild Hall of Shanxi.
New Century Grand Hotel Kaifeng (2 nights)

Day 8 Kaifeng (Breakfast & Lunch)
Discover Kaifeng city with a visit of the Dragon Pavilion Park in the morning. Visit the Iron Pagoda of Youguo Temple, a Buddhist Chinese pagoda built in 1049 during the Song dynasty. The pagoda is so-named not because it is made of iron, but because its colour resembles that of iron. It is a brick pagoda tower built on the location of a previous wooden one that had been burnt down by lightning fire in 1044, it is seen as a masterpiece of Song dynasty architecture. After lunch, visit the Jiaojing Lane and the Millennium City Park.

Day 9 Kaifeng – Dengfeng – Luoyang (Breakfast & Lunch)
Depart Kaifeng this morning for a day tour to Dengfeng. Visit the famous Shaolin Temple, a world famous Buddhist temple in China, located at the west foot of Mount Songshan in a dense bamboo forest at the foot of Wuru Peak on Shaoshi Mountain. After lunch transfer to Luoyang and visit the old town.
Luoyang Friendship Hotel (1 night)

Day 10 Luoyang – Beijing (Breakfast & Lunch)
Visit the Longmen Grottoes, one of the top three famous grottoes in China. After lunch transfer to the train station for your high-speed train ride back to Beijing.
Beijing Capital Hotel (1 night)

Day 11 Return to Canada (Breakfast)
Transfer to the airport for your return flight to Canada

Want to know more about the destination? Check out Chris' Travel Notes!

Chris writes extensive Travel Notes for each show that will help you plan your next trip. Find out more about the Destination; Climate; Getting Around; Accommodation; Kids to Seniors; History; Sports and Activities; Attractions; Culture; Cuisine; Special Deals and where to go to get even more information!

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